Pages

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Asian-Style Carrot Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Most of us have a recipe for the ubiquitous carrot-raisin slaw tucked somewhere in our kitchen files. I haven't used my copy of the salad in over thirty years. I was never especially fond of it and, as we began to travel, I found other recipes that I thought were far more satisfying. This Asian-style carrot salad is one of my current favorites. There is a tartness to it that plays nicely against sweet barbecued meats and it is a wonderful, easy addition to an Asian-style meal. We had a salad that was quite similar to this while we were in Thailand. This salad, developed by Laurent Tourondel for Food and Wine magazine, is zen-like in its simplicity. Its only ingredients are carrots and cilantro. The dressing, however, takes the salad to another plane. Carrot and ginger juice are teamed with vinegar and a mixture of oils to produce a vibrant dressing that is unique and plays nicely with the sweet and crunchy carrots it is used to dress. I do have a few cautions should you choose to make it. If you can't resist the temptation to use pre-shredded carrots, test to make sure you can get a forkful that doesn't resemble porcupine quills into your mouth. That is a lesson learned from bitter and embarrassing experience of the "we grow too soon old and too late smart" variety. You should also know that the dressing will slightly dull the vibrant color of the carrots. The carrot juice can't quite overcome the mayonnaise in the dressing and the carrots will take on a slightly milky hue. Lastly, don't add the final measure of cilantro until you are ready to serve the salad. Its brilliant green is gorgeous against the orange of the carrots, but if it sits too long it will blacken and add nothing to the finished salad. If I haven't scared you away, here's the recipe for a unique salad that I think you'll enjoy.Asian-Style Carrot Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Laurent TourondelIngredients:1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded1 garlic clove, minced2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro1/2 cup canola oilSalt and freshly ground pepper1/3 cup carrot juice2 tablespoons mayonnaise1-1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger juice, squeezed from 2 teaspoons finely minced ginger

Years ago, my uncle used to make a very similar salad when he attended the Italian Air Force Academy. The pilots were actually encouraged to eat tons of raw carrots for their eyesight and the young men would all try different recipes. Thanks for the memory- we will try this one!xoxo Pattie

The idea to use carrot juice in the dressing is sheer brilliancy; so simple and yet so refined and to the point! I mean we are eating carrots here are we not? Looks a bit like the salads we make in my neck of the woods with the cilantro addition

This looks and sounds so good! I love the use of the carrot juice in the dressing, what a great idea! I'm a big fan of any and everything with carrots ... but, sadly, my husband is not. Its the one veggie he doesn't enjoy. Will have to make a mini batch of this all for myself!

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third-parties nor does it store information about your visit for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a a users prior visits to this website. Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads. This blog is not responsible for the republishing of the content found here on other Web sites or media without the owners permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice